Cam actuated sliding jaw wrench



Dec. 19, 1967 M. L. WREN CAM ACTUATED SLIDING JAW WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Sept. 6, 1966 INVENTOR Nor/1.5 L. Wren A77'DRN 5.

Dec. 19, 1967 M. L. WREN 3,358,533

CAM AGI'UATED SLIDING JAW WRENCH Filed Sept. 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Shem 2 {/2J Nor/6'6 L I L/ren 7TURN .5

United States Patent f 3,358,533 CAM ACTUATED SLIDING JAW WRENCH MorrisLee Wren, Job Corps Center, Parker, Ariz. 85344 Filed Sept. 6, 1966,Ser. No. 577,383 2 Claims. (Ci. 81-128) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anend wrench structure with a pair of adjustable jaws, the adjustingmechanism being arranged in such a way that it is positive in action andpractically no strain will be exercised on the adjusting mechanism whilethe wrench is in use thereby insuring a long life and usefulness for thewrench structure. The jaws are operated by a shaft and the shaft isactuated by an elongated screw operated from outside of the handle.

This invention relates generally to tools and more particularly to newand useful improvements in a combined end wrench and vise.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an end wrenchstructure with a .pair of adjustable jaws and to arrange the adjustingmechanism in such a way that it is positive in action and so thatpractically no strain will be exercised on the said adjusting meanswhile the wrench is in use thereby insuring a long life and usefulnessfor such a tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of this kind thatis easily and quickly adjusted to different size nuts.

A further object is to provide a tool of this kind with a spring releaseof the adjustment arrangement.

Still another object is to provide a tool of this kind that is simpleand rugged in construction, extensible, efficient for the purposesintended and easy to manipulate.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective View of a combined wrench and viseembodying one form of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the center of the top of the combinedwrench and vise, on an enlarged scale, shown in open position,

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in closed position,

FIG. 4 is an edge view of the combined wrench and vise, parts beingshown broken away,

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the bottom end of thecombined wrench and vise, parts being shown in moved position in dashlines,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a modified form of theinvention,

FIG. 7 is a disassembled perspective view of the screw and actuating capof FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the actuating cap,

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1a tool constituting a combined end Wrench and vise embodying one form ofthe invention is shown and designated generally at 10. The tool 10comprises an elongated fiat-sided metal tubular handle 12, rectangularin cross-section, open top and bottom. A hollow funnel-shaped,rectangular in plan, head 14 is formed on the end of the handle,consisting of upwardly 3,358,533 Patented Dec. 19, 1957 and outwardlytapering side walls 16, 16 and end walls 18 and 20 and being open at thetop and bottom. The top of the side walls 16, 16 are cutaway formingopposed notches 17, 17. The inner surfaces 22 of the end walls 18, 20taper downwardly and outwardly, with the top edges 24 of said end wallstapering upwardly and outwardly as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bottomends of the inner surfaces 22 terminate at the tops of abrupt shoulders26, 26 formed on the inner surfaces 28, 28 of the handle 12.

A solid steel coupling shaft 30 extends slidably through the hollowhandle 12, the shaft having an enlarged head 32 at the top thereof and ahollow internal screw threaded socketed end 34 at the bottom thereof.The shaft normally extends to the open top of the hollow head 14 as bestseen in FIG. 2.

A pair of dual jaw structures 36, 36 are slidably connected to the headportion 32 of the shaft 30. Each jaw structure 36 comprises a solidsteel body 38 substantially rectangular in side elevation as viewed inFIG. 2 with a straight flat side 40 and with the other side formed witha triangular shaped enlargement 42. The bottom end is tapered downwardlyand inwardly as indicated at 44 as viewed in FIG. 2. Intermediate theends of the body, the fiat side 40 is formed with a V-shaped transversenotch 46, and centrally of the fiat side there is formed a groove 48which extends from the notch 44 to the flat top surface 50 of the body.The body 38 of each jaw structure is formed with a central slot 52 whichextends from the notch 46 to the tapered bottom end 44 of the body andintersects said tapered bottom end. The portions of the bodies above thetransverse notch 46 serve as jaws 54. Ridges 56 are formed on the sidesurfaces of the bodies which ridges ride in keyways 58 formed on theinner surfaces of the head 16 of the handle 12, disposed at an obliqueangle to the vertical. Opposed holes 69 are formed in each 'body portion38 below the transverse notch 46 on both sides of the slot 52.

The jaw structures 36, 36 are slidably actuated by the shaft 30 by meansof a pair of toggle plates 60, 60 interconnected between the shaft andjaw structures. These toggle plates each consists of a substantiallyrectangular body 62 with an elongated slightly curved closed slot 64formed therein, and an integral extension 66 disposed at an angle to thebody and formed with a hole 68 adjacent its end. The hole 68 receives apivot pin 70 carried by the head 32 of the shaft 30 at one side thereof.The curved closed slot 64 receives a guiding pin 72 carried by the body38 of the adjacent jaw structure extending through the opposed holes 69in the body 38 and across the slot 52 in the body. In FIGS. 1 and 2, thejaw structures 36 are shown in normally extended inoperative position.

Mechanism is provided for manually moving the shaft 30 up and down inthe handle 12. For this purpose, an elongated screw 84 is threaded intothe bottom threaded socketed end 34 of the shaft 30. The screw 84 has anelongated cylindrical head 86 fastened at its end to a knurled actuatingcap 88 protruding outwardly of the handle and forming an extensionthereof. The cap has a solid body with a transverse hole '90,therethrough to receive an iron bar 92 for turning the cap, and in turn,turning the screw 84 thus pulling down on the shaft 30 thereby pullingthe jaw structures and plates 60 into the hollow head 14 of the handleand simultaneously sliding the jaw structures toward each other togripping position as shown in FIG. 3.

Mechanism is also provided for automatically moving the handle 12 andshaft 30 to squeeze position. For this purpose, the bottom end of thehandle is formed with 0 a recess 96 through which the head 86 of thescrew 84 passes. A compression spring 98 is sleeved around the 3 head 86with one end seated on the end of the tubular handle 12 and with itsother end impinging against a washer 100 slidably mounted on the head 86and movable by the spring against the roof 102, formed by the recess 96so as to move the handle and shaft 30 to closed squeeze position.

The spring 98 normally is held against action by means presently to bedescribed. An elongated narrow slot 104 is formed in one edge of thehandle, intersecting with the bottom end thereof as viewed in FIGS. 1and 5. A lever 106 is positioned in the slot with its top end as viewedin FIG. 4 pivoted to a pivot pin 108 supported across the wall of theslot at the top thereof. The lever is formed with an extension 110disposed in a plane offset from the plane of the lever proper. Abifurcated hook 112 is formed on the free end of the extension. A link114 is pivotally connected at one end to the juncture between the leverproper and extension and is provided with a pointed free end 116. Thelink 114 normally engages the washer 100 and forces the washerdownwardly thereby compressing the spring 98 and holding the springagainst expansion. The hooked extension 110 of the lever releasablylocks the link in downwardly pressing position as seen in FIG. 5. Whenthe lever is released as shown in dash lines in FIG. 5, the spring 98moves the washer 100 upwardly against theroof 102 of the recess 96thereby forcing the handle and shaft 30 upwardly to squeeze position.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that when the lever 106is released from latching position, the cap 88 may be turned by the bar92 which will cause the screw 84 to be revolved in one direction or theopposite direction depending upon the direction of movement of the capto impart sliding movement to the shaft 30. When the parts are in theopen position as shown in FIGS. '1 and 2, downwardly sliding movement ofthe shaft 30 will move the jaw structures 26, 26 and toggle plates 60,60 downwardly and simultaneously toward each other, the jaw structuresmoving into face to face Contact as seen in FIG. 3. By reason of theshape of the vertical grooves 48 and 48 in the faces of the jawstructures, this tool may be used in place of hand Vises to hold smallparts and pieces. It is adapted to hold work for drilling, marking,filing and the like. It is also useful in cutting on and ofif watervalves located in deep inaccessible sockets and places such as mainwater lines to houses. The present invention takes the place of thecommon pliers, pliwrench, adjustable wrench, socket wrench and boxed-endwrench.

'In FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, a modified arrangement of screw actuatingmechanism is shown including a cap 88' detachably connected to the head86 of the screw 84' by means of a square shaped block 120 secured to thetop of the solid cap 88 receivable in a socket 122 formed in the freeend of the head 86'. The head and block are formed with aligned holes124 and 126, respectively, to receive a fastening screw 127 for holdingthe parts together. The head86' is formed with an annular flange 128midway its ends adapted to seat and revolve in a circular groove 130formed in the inner surface of the tubular handle 12' so that when thecap 88 is turned, the screw only rotates and does not slide along thehandle but the shaft 30' connected to the screw moves up and down.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an end wrench, an elongated tubular handle, a hollow funnel-shapedhead at one end of the handle, a

'pair of opposed slida'ble and swingable jaw'structures in the head,said head communication with the bore in the tubular handle, a pair ofopposed slidable and swingable jaw structures in the head, a shaftslidably mounted in the bore of the handle, one end of the shaftextending into the hollow head and pivotally connected to the jawstructures, toggle plates interposed between said one end of the shaftand the jaw structure, a screw movable in the other end of the tubularhandle and operatively connected to the shaft for moving said shaft upand down, means exteriorly of the handle for actuating said screw, saidhandle having a recess in the end thereof, an elongated cylindrical headon said screw in the recess in the handle, a washer slidably mounted onsaid cylindrical head, a compression spring sleeved around saidcylindrical head, one end of the spring being seated on theend of thehandle on the inside, the other end impinging against said slidablewasher for moving said washer against the roof of the recess, for movingthe shaft up through the bore of the handle.

2. An end-wrench as defined in claim 1 wherein means is provided forholding said compression spring against movement, said latter meansincluding a lever pivotally mounted in a slot in the handle at thebottom end thereof, a hook on the free end of the lever adapted tointerlock with the cap, and a link pivotally connected at one end to thelever, the other end of the link engageable with the washer on the headof the screw for compressing the compression spring and holding the sameagainst movement.

References Cited WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN AN END WRENCH, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR HANDLE, A HOLLOW FUNNEL-SHAPEDHEAD AT ONE END OF THE HANDLE, A PAIR OF OPPOSED SLIDABLE AND SWINGABLEJAW STRUCTURES IN THE HEAD, SAID HEAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE BORE IN THETUBULAR HANDLE, A PAIR OF OPPOSED SLIDABLE AND SWINGABLE JAW STRUCTURESIN THE HEAD, A SHAFT SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE BORE OF THE HANDLE, ONE ENDOF THE SHAFT EXTENDING INTO THE HOLLOW HEAD AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOTHE JAW STRUCTURES, TOGGLE PLATES INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ONE END OF THESHAFT AND THE JAW STRUCTURE, A SCREW MOVABLE IN THE OTHER END OF THETUBULAR HANDLE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SHAFT FOR MOVING SAIDSHAFT UP AND DOWN, MEANS EXTERIORLY OF THE HANDLE FOR ACTUATING SAIDSCREW, SAID HANDLE HAVING A RECESS IN THE END THEREOF, AN ELONGATEDCYLINDRICAL HEAD ON SAID SCREW IN THE RECESS IN THE HANDLE, A WASHERSLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CYLINDRICAL HEAD, A COMPRESSION SPRING SLEEVEDAROUNG SAID CYLINDRICAL HEAD, ONE OF THE SPRING BEING SEATED ON THE ENDOF THE HANDLE ON THE INSIDE, THE OTHER END IMPINGING AGAINST SAIDSLIDABLE WASHER FOR MOVING SAID WASHER AGAINST THE ROOF OF THE RECESS,FOR MOVING THE SHAFT UP THROUGH THE BORE OF THE HANDLE.